News Article

Intelligent Systems Development HQ Image Emerges

Intelligent Systems is a first-party Nintendo studio that's forged its identity through its continued work on the popular Paper Mario and Fire Emblem franchises, with Fire Emblem: Awakening being a particular highlight in 2013. Beyond those well known examples, however, its importance to Nintendo across console generations is reflected in its roles in projects both big and small, ranging from programming work on Super Metroid to the excellent 3DS eShop titles Pullblox / Pushmo and Fallblox / Crashmo.

Keen to ensure that its development efforts are supported by solid infrastructure, Nintendo has been investing heavily in new buildings and sites for their teams, making headlines last year with plans for a new facility (now finished) to house the unified handheld and console divisions. We now have an image of a relatively small building specifically for Intelligent Systems, perhaps an indication of the studio's vital role within Nintendo — it reportedly opened in October last year. The team is involved in the Shin Megami Tensei X Fire Emblem Wii U project, but we can be sure that there's more in the works based on the studio's output across Wii, DS and 3DS in recent years.

Are you a fan of Intelligent Systems? What games do you hope to see come out of its fancy new building in the coming months and years?

Welsh ex-pat Tom is responsible for the day-to-day running of the site. He's the guy to thank for the generally brilliant nature of the content which massages your eyeballs on a daily basis. Also has an unhealthy obsession with all things Bowser.

I really hope they give us a stand alone Fire Emblem game for the Wii U as well as the FE v SMT game. Maybe a sequel to Radiant Dawn following Queen Nailah back to her home country?......although I'd take an HD combo remake of PoR / RD with some extra levels.

Not a mention to the "Wars" series?! Serious momment of brain flatulence there

Amnesia aside, I'm overjoyed to see Intelligent Systems grow. One of my favorite developers of all time, from Super Metroid to my 2013 GOTY Fire Emblem Awakening. Can't wait for the first 3DS Advance Wars game!

So glad to see my favorite developer getting some love.
With so many great game series like Fire Emblem(Awakening was my Game of the year), Paper Mario, WarioWare Pushblox. Oh and who could forget Advance Wars! The first one has to be my favorite game of all time, please say a 3DS version is in the works.

oh I'm sure they helped work on Metroid Fusion as well which I think is the best Metroid game.

That's a nice looking building. And Intelligent Systems deserves it. They are a great developer (my personal favorite) and I'm looking forward to SMT x FE. And I'm hoping for a purely Fire Emblem title on Wii u ( HD fire emblem would be the best).

I love Intelligent Systems and if one of them is a Paper Mario game they're working on, I cannot wait as I loved all four of them. I don't care if the next one on Wii U is going to be another Sticker Star, but I'd be more delighted if the next one is going to return to the roots of the first two titles

Intelligent Systems is a brilliant studio, with WarioWare and Paper Mario being my favorite IPs from them. I really hope they're working on a new WarioWare for 3DS and a traditional Paper Mario for Wii U. The more resources and manpower they get the better!

Intelligent Systems is one of my favorite developers. Though I'd love to see a Fire Emblem or Paper Mario on the Wii U (as well as a proper Warioware game), what I'd really love to see them make right now is a new Advance Wars for the Wii U or 3DS (or both). It's been far too long.

Intelligent Systems is one of the best studio in the business, period... i've played most of their games over the years, and they never fail to please me, they're just top-top-class...

Now, if only Nintendo could have 5 or 6 teams like them in addition to all their already existent first and second party studios: more strategy games, more rpg's, more 3d puzzle-adventures, all made with the same "intelligence"... a man can dream, right?

But Intelligent Systems is certainly one of the main reason why i'm still into buying Nintendo's consoles while i'm now way over 40... alongside the best Marios and all the Zeldas and Metroids, of course...

You know, I am feeling extremely conflicted about the fact that Thomas didn't bring up the Advance Wars series. On one hand, they haven't made a game in the series for a while, so it makes sense to not really mention it. On the other hand, this also means that the Wars series is fading into obscurity; at least the Fire Emblem series is close enough to it for comfort. Honestly, I would be perfectly happy if Intelligent Systems became a third party developer and started making games for a variety of systems. Preferably sticking to Nintendo hardware as their system of choice (a la Naughty Dog), but occasionally making games for the PC and whatnot. Wouldn't a Wars game on the PC be completely fantastic? Let me answer that for you: yes.

TOTALLY AGREE. I love intelligent systems and I'm hyper excited Nintendo is at least showing them some love, but the last amazing Paper Mario game was TTYD. A new Paper Mario and Fire Emblem for Wii U would be awesome.

Thanks for the reminder, but yes indeed, i've played Xenoblade and Baten Kaitos, and even Disaster Day of Crisis... very fine games, especially Xenoblade, but their output can't compare to the quality AND quantity of InSys, as they release one game every two years or so...

But once again, i wish Nintendo had more teams like these under its wing... Platinum with some ex-Clover guys would be a good start, if their relationship evolves, and Treasure is also a studio i keep an eye on when it comes to good japanese games...

Plus, make some partnership deals with Atlus and Level 5 would't hurt either... or ask Square Enix to create a MMO for them: so many things Nintendo could do, but doesn't... and they have the money for it, sometimes i can't understand why they're so conservative and play it that safe...